How old is too old for a stroller?

[okeydokey]

I would never push my third grader around in a stroller. If they were so tired that they were whining, we would take a break.

Imagine taking a picture of your child in a stroller and then passing it around at his next t ball game. I Imagine most kids would be embarrassed to be seen in one.

 

[ain0004]

We have taken our sit and stand every trip. But found out we didn't need it this last trip. It is more of a connivence for holding our crap than the kids needing it. We won't be taking it this year and our kids are 5, 8 and 10.. I don't hold judgment our oldest DD has health issues and needed a stroller up until this year, whatever is best for you and your family.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

Crazy. I would hope that my 8-year old would not want to be in a stroller. And I'd rather be working on getting his/her stamina up, so that the issue never comes up.

I'd be too embarrassed to rent one. If he can't walk, and is healthy, I'd be heading back to the hotel. I'd rather waste the money. It would be worth it if he learns a lesson, which is that he should be able to walk, and that he is out of shape.

 

[ilovemk76]

Pushing around 7 or 8 year olds is not on my bucket list.

 

[meddockian]

My son will be 5 for our trip in December and we will definitely have a stroller for him. We spend all day in the parks though - 8am or so to 8pm. He only made it about 2 hours last time before he just started to wear down and complain about walking. Honestly, I felt better having him in a stroller because I knew where he was in all of those crowds.

 

[4kids4karen]

I will admit it - I rented a stroller last year for my 7 year old. I couldn't deal with the whining. I considered it again for a brief moment for my now 8 year old for our upcoming trip. Am I crazy?

If you have to ask if the child is too old or too big, then yes he is too old or too big. It is known as stunting your childs independence.
There are several articles about it, here is one: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/big-stroller-carting-big-kids-bad/story?id=13597874


Though the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't have official guidelines for when to stop using a stroller, Shu says that "kids should be transitioning out of a stroller at around three years old."


Also a blogger.
http://toobigforstroller.tumblr.com/

 

[2DisPrincesses]

My youngest just turned 4 and we will be taking one in the fall. She doesn't use one at home, but we plan on staying in the Parks all day for the first time ever and figure she may need a break (and I'm not carrying her). We also want it for the crazy exit at closing- safer and faster.

If other people want to judge, so be it. It's a pity they would spend all that $$$ to worry about other people rather than enjoy their own family on vacation!

 

[samacita]

I would never criticize anyone else's decision, but I wouldn't do a stroller for an 8 yo. We are considering a single stroller to use for DS3 and DS4mos. But the expectation will be clear that the stroller is not for DD7. I doubt she'll even ask to sit in it, really. We are not commando style tourists, anyway, so we can go at the kids' pace without a problem.

Good luck on your decision! You know your kid best and will make it work no matter what you choose.

 

[North of Mouse]

I will admit it - I rented a stroller last year for my 7 year old. I couldn't deal with the whining. I considered it again for a brief moment for my now 8 year old for our upcoming trip. Am I crazy?

Well, it certainly is your decision, but we just got back from Disney Friday and we saw more strollers with older children. Also, there were more whiney/crying kids in strollers than those that were walking. Maybe the walkers were more physically/mentally conditioned to deal with the tiredness beforehand. Being in a stroller riding was not making them happy.

We have been going to Disney for years, and my dh & I commented to each other that used to when you saw double strollers, it usually meant twin babies/toddlers. Now, in a lot of cases it meant two children well over the toddler stage.

Personally, if I wanted to take a stroller for an older child, the last place I'd ask advice is on the Dis. Just do what *you* want to do.

 

[powellrj]

Our cut-off age was 4. Once you reached 4, you walked!

 

[Baliezer]

When we go to Disneyland, we usually spend all day at the park. I do bring a double stroller for my 4 and 2 year old, but I often ditch it in certain areas so that we can power walk from ride to ride. If any of my four girls complained or whined about walking, I would not bring them anymore. No one is forcing them to go and I definitely would not be spending my time trying to push them in a heavy stroller.

 

[yeartolate]

Our cut-off age was 4. Once you reached 4, you walked!

That sounds about right. If my son was too tired to walk...we went back to the hotel to unwind...then go back at night. Never really understood commando touring with little ones.

On a side note, part of the problem with older able bodied kids in strollers is that they frequently WANT to walk. Then they want to push the stroller. And NO, your little one is not "cute" when they bloody our heels while pushing the stroller.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We had a Sit-n-Stand type stroller when our kids were 5 and 1.5 and that was the last time our oldest rode in any type of stroller. The next year when he was 6, he walked. Our youngest had his first stroller-free trip last year at 6, also. When he complained about being tired, my husband would take him and sit on a bench for a minute while our older son and I would continue walking. I'd usually hear running footsteps coming up behind me within 30 seconds. We took plenty of breaks as a family.

I never understand the anxiety about losing the stroller = losing the place to tote stuff. We just don't take that much stuff with us. I'm still trying to figure out how I can lose the bag entirely.

 

[momontheright]

I would say yes. If your kid is old enough to text then a stroller is definitely out of the question. I hate using a stroller in Disney so I was glad when DS who is my youngest was able to walk at 5. We take lots of breaks and I can't imagine how people sat in the park all day as an adult it would make me crazy so I can only imagine how a child feels being dragged around all day.

 

[Granny square]

Pushing around 7 or 8 year olds is not on my bucket list.

No kidding! My kids had far more energy than I did when they were that age!

 

[Nancyg56]

We rented one for my DGD when she was 6, but that was only in Epcot. She really dd not use it but we figured it was handy to have if the day gor to be too long. The following year DD rented one for MVMCP, and it was mostly in the way until about 11 PM when she finally pooped out. We stayed until close, but honestly, it was good for us because there were a lot of people moving in waves. I had my DD pulled right out of my hand once when a crowd filed out of a show. She was young and terrified, so the stroller was more for me than anyone else.

After that, though, no more strollers. We all chose to walk a lot before our trips and that made all the difference. I would never think another family was wrong for pushing their older kids in a stroller but at this point in my life, if anyone is going to get a free ride, it is me

 

[Granny square]

Well, it certainly is your decision, but we just got back from Disney Friday and we saw more strollers with older children. Also, there were more whiney/crying kids in strollers than those that were walking. Maybe the walkers were more physically/mentally conditioned to deal with the tiredness beforehand. Being in a stroller riding was not making them happy.

We have been going to Disney for years, and my dh & I commented to each other that used to when you saw double strollers, it usually meant twin babies/toddlers. Now, in a lot of cases it meant two children well over the toddler stage.

Personally, if I wanted to take a stroller for an older child, the last place I'd ask advice is on the Dis. Just do what *you* want to do.

Or the ones in the strollers are accustomed to acting and being treated like babies.

 

[Suellen]

My kids are 5 and 7 (soon to be 6 and 8). Yes we live her now and no we never use a stroller and only go for short times. Though we have been here on many previous trips that were vacations before moving.

So at 3 and 5 they stopped asking for a stroller. At this point we see tons of their friends from school at the parks and I think they would both be super embarrassed to be seen in a stroller.

And NO I didn't teach them to be embarrassed. They view strollers as something for babies and toddlers and don't want their friends to view them as babies.

We would let the smallest one lead the way and if she needed a break we would take one. Some of our best trips were following a toddlers lead and seeing things we would typically have missed.

In the end you have to do what is best for your family... but do your kids REALLY want to ride in the stroller?

 

[DLgal]

In my opinion, barring any sort of medical or mental disabilities, 5 should be the upper age limit for riding in a stroller.

My younger son last rode in a stroller right after he turned 4. We visited WDW that year, a month after his birthday. He did ride in the stroller for the most part, but he also did a fair amount of walking. FTR, this is our "lazy, whiny" kid. When we got home from that trip, we put away the stroller and then proceeded to visit Disneyland (as locals) without it. On the day that he went for 6 hours straight at the parks and then went home and spent the afternoon swimming and riding his bike, I knew he was DONE with strollers. Our next trip, he was 5.5, no stroller, and WOW, what a difference! FREEDOM, was what we all felt in not having the stroller. It was great!

That same trip, both kids did great, and about the 5th day, we had some lagging at the end of a long day. We were in Epcot and my younger one just wanted to sit. We sat for a long time, on a bench in Germany near the trains, for almost an hour, but then had to get up to go to dinner at Via Napoli. When he started walking again, he was limping. Turns out, he had some blisters. He was such a trooper though, never whined or complained about it once, just kept asking to sit down and rest. We patched him up that night in the hotel room and the next day he was good as new. Kids are resilient.

 

[Disneylover99]

In the end you have to do what is best for your family... but do your kids REALLY want to ride in the stroller?

Do they want to ride in a stroller???
At Disney, the answer is YES!!!!
My nine year old would love me to push him around in a stroller at Disney. That doesn't mean I will!